Touch 'Em All: Rangers manager OK with Oswalt
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington says he's put behind him Roy Oswalt's decision not to pitch a third inning of relief and sees no need to discuss it with the former starter.
Texas Rangers manager Ron Washington says he's put behind him Roy Oswalt's decision not to pitch a third inning of relief and sees no need to discuss it with the former starter.
Oswalt told Washington after throwing 30 pitches in the seventh and eighth innings Sunday that he couldn't continue. The Rangers lost, 7-6, in 10 innings at Kansas City.
"Since I've been here [if] a player tells me he can't go, that's it," Washington said before Monday night's game against the Red Sox in Boston. "It ends right there and, for me, it ended right there."
The former Phillie had a 6.49 ERA in six starts and went to the bullpen when Texas acquired Ryan Dempster from the Chicago Cubs last Tuesday. Oswalt had thrown 150 pitches in seven days when he told Washington he couldn't pitch.
Thome still out
Jim Thome will be unavailable to the Baltimore Orioles at least into September because of a herniated disk.
The 41-year-old former Phillie has been on the disabled list since Tuesday. He received an epidural Thursday and was told at that time to rest for 30 days before resuming baseball activities, which in his case means swinging a bat because he is being used only as a designated hitter.
Tattered Tribe
Indians general manager Chris Antonetti expressed support for manager Manny Acta and his coaching staff following the least successful trip in the franchise's 112-year history.
Cleveland went 0-9 at Minnesota, Kansas City, and Detroit, ending the trip with a 10-8 loss to the Tigers on Sunday when all-star closer Chris Perez gave up five runs with two outs in the 10th inning.
Cleveland trailed Chicago by 31/2 games when the trip began and went into Monday 91/2 games behind the AL Central-leading White Sox.
Helton's hellish season
The worst season of Todd Helton's career is over. The Colorado Rockies say their first baseman and clubhouse leader will undergo arthroscopic surgery Friday to repair a torn labrum in his right hip.
A career .320 hitter, Helton batted just .238 this season, by far the lowest average of his 15-year career in the majors. He had seven homers and 37 RBIs.
Helton has been bothered by a sore hip since June. He will turn 39 on Aug. 20. Helton told the Denver Post he plans to play next season, the final year of his contract.